Sleep had
not come easy for him in a long time. Maybe it was the excitement of the trip,
but the last several nights had been especially bad. In fact he was now
bordering on serious exhaustion, and he needed to crash.
His feeling that this trip was a good thing was now
giving way to a slight sense of uncertainty and anxiety. Luckily the Jensen’s
had let him leave his horse trailer at their farm, which would make
driving and parking in town a lot easier. When he arrived in Reddick, he
immediately got the impression that this was a nice friendly place. The sign at
the city limit told him it had a population of 3,700. As he drove down Main
Street, he could see they had all the necessities, including a small hospital,
several large restaurants, and a movie theater that probably drew people in
from all over the immediate countryside. He checked into the first motel he saw
then headed across the street to a diner for a hot meal. After a long, steaming
shower, he cracked open a fresh bottle of whiskey, poured himself a double
shot, and watched TV until he finally fell asleep.
Shane actually slept soundly until late the next
morning and was having trouble shaking off the slumber. “ Maybe a shower will help clear the
cobwebs out ,” he told himself.
Chapter 6
Shane barely had time to dry off and dress when he heard a knock on his
door. As he opened it, he found himself staring at an older man, but for the
life of him, Shane couldn’t immediately place him. The man saw the blank look
on Shane’s face, shook his head, and said, “Son, you look like hell, are you
okay?”
The sound of the man’s voice helped Shane realize
who it was. He let out a sigh, “Yes, Mr. Jensen, I’m fine. Are the horses all
right?”
“They are now, but I’ve been trying to get ahold of
you since yesterday. You told me you would call, but we haven’t heard a word.
So I finally came looking for you. I saw your truck in front of the motel. My
friend, Bob, who runs this place, told me what room you were in.”
Shane dropped his head shamefully, “I’m sorry I
didn’t call. I’ve been a little under the weather. What did you mean when you
said they’re all right now? Did something happen?”
“Well, the older horse started to colic soon after
you left the farm.”
“Oh shit!” Shane blurted out. “How bad did he get?”
“Pretty bad,” he answered. “I couldn’t keep him on
his feet. I
finally called the vet out. Dr. Baxter gave him a shot of banamine; then he
tubed him full of mineral oil and water. He had to come back out a second time
to treat him, but that old gelding’s tough. He pulled through and seems right
as rain now.”
Shane’s relief was visible,
but he was also extremely embarrassed. He sure wouldn’t blame Mr. Jensen if he
had a bad impression of him .
“I can’t believe I slept that long. I’m real sorry I
didn’t check on them. Thank you so much for taking care of my old horse. I was
worried the long trip might be hard on him.”
“Well, I could tell by the way you rubbed him on his
head yesterday morning before you left that he meant something to you.”
“They both do.”
“I figured you’d want me to do whatever was
necessary to take care of him, but there was a hefty bill involved. I had to
pay doc out of my own pocket.”
“Just tell me what I owe you,” Shane said as he
grabbed his
wallet from the nightstand. The two men settled up, and he gave Mr. Jensen some
extra money for his trouble. “Sir, if you haven’t eaten yet, I’d like to buy
you breakfast.”
The old man laughed. “Son, I ate hours ago, but I’ll
sit and have a cup of coffee.” Shane grabbed his keys, and they walked across
the street to the diner.
Mr. Jensen waited until Shane finished his meal then
said, “You know, I’m getting older so my memory isn’t what it used to be, but
my wife remembers everything, especially faces and names. After you two met
yesterday she kept telling me that you looked familiar.
not come easy for him in a long time. Maybe it was the excitement of the trip,
but the last several nights had been especially bad. In fact he was now
bordering on serious exhaustion, and he needed to crash.
His feeling that this trip was a good thing was now
giving way to a slight sense of uncertainty and anxiety. Luckily the Jensen’s
had let him leave his horse trailer at their farm, which would make
driving and parking in town a lot easier. When he arrived in Reddick, he
immediately got the impression that this was a nice friendly place. The sign at
the city limit told him it had a population of 3,700. As he drove down Main
Street, he could see they had all the necessities, including a small hospital,
several large restaurants, and a movie theater that probably drew people in
from all over the immediate countryside. He checked into the first motel he saw
then headed across the street to a diner for a hot meal. After a long, steaming
shower, he cracked open a fresh bottle of whiskey, poured himself a double
shot, and watched TV until he finally fell asleep.
Shane actually slept soundly until late the next
morning and was having trouble shaking off the slumber. “ Maybe a shower will help clear the
cobwebs out ,” he told himself.
Chapter 6
Shane barely had time to dry off and dress when he heard a knock on his
door. As he opened it, he found himself staring at an older man, but for the
life of him, Shane couldn’t immediately place him. The man saw the blank look
on Shane’s face, shook his head, and said, “Son, you look like hell, are you
okay?”
The sound of the man’s voice helped Shane realize
who it was. He let out a sigh, “Yes, Mr. Jensen, I’m fine. Are the horses all
right?”
“They are now, but I’ve been trying to get ahold of
you since yesterday. You told me you would call, but we haven’t heard a word.
So I finally came looking for you. I saw your truck in front of the motel. My
friend, Bob, who runs this place, told me what room you were in.”
Shane dropped his head shamefully, “I’m sorry I
didn’t call. I’ve been a little under the weather. What did you mean when you
said they’re all right now? Did something happen?”
“Well, the older horse started to colic soon after
you left the farm.”
“Oh shit!” Shane blurted out. “How bad did he get?”
“Pretty bad,” he answered. “I couldn’t keep him on
his feet. I
finally called the vet out. Dr. Baxter gave him a shot of banamine; then he
tubed him full of mineral oil and water. He had to come back out a second time
to treat him, but that old gelding’s tough. He pulled through and seems right
as rain now.”
Shane’s relief was visible,
but he was also extremely embarrassed. He sure wouldn’t blame Mr. Jensen if he
had a bad impression of him .
“I can’t believe I slept that long. I’m real sorry I
didn’t check on them. Thank you so much for taking care of my old horse. I was
worried the long trip might be hard on him.”
“Well, I could tell by the way you rubbed him on his
head yesterday morning before you left that he meant something to you.”
“They both do.”
“I figured you’d want me to do whatever was
necessary to take care of him, but there was a hefty bill involved. I had to
pay doc out of my own pocket.”
“Just tell me what I owe you,” Shane said as he
grabbed his
wallet from the nightstand. The two men settled up, and he gave Mr. Jensen some
extra money for his trouble. “Sir, if you haven’t eaten yet, I’d like to buy
you breakfast.”
The old man laughed. “Son, I ate hours ago, but I’ll
sit and have a cup of coffee.” Shane grabbed his keys, and they walked across
the street to the diner.
Mr. Jensen waited until Shane finished his meal then
said, “You know, I’m getting older so my memory isn’t what it used to be, but
my wife remembers everything, especially faces and names. After you two met
yesterday she kept telling me that you looked familiar.
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